I woke up just 3 hours later to a loud crash of metal hitting wood. I bolted up, almost immediately regretting it as I felt dizzy and sick to my stomach. I breathed deeply though, hoping it would pass soon.
"Morning."
I looked to the voice. Snake was standing there with a couple of cans, one of which had fallen on the floor. I was shocked.
"Where did you find those," I asked. Why would anyone leave such valuable supplies behind with so little to scavenge at this point?
"Basement. There are enough supplies to last for years," he said, setting the cans next to the backpacks.
"Are you kidding?! That's crazy," how crazy were these people to leave such a fantastic haven? I was answered by a groan coming from nearby.
Oh, well, that explains that.
I glanced over at Snake. He already had a knife in his right hand. He was ready to cut off some zombie heads. I pulled the gun out of my back pocket. It had 3 rounds left. After that ran out, it was practically useless until we found more ammo. We looked over the room carefully. Overlooking even the smallest amount of space might mean a bite from walkers. Or worse.
We search diligently. Nothing. The noises could still be heard but there was not even a trace of anything but us. It was definitely not from outside, so there is obviously something we are missing here. So we began to search around for anything that might show us where the zombie might have been. Staying within 3 feet of Snake at anytime, I patted the walls for a door or opening that would contain the walker. Again nothing.
"Was there anything in the basement," I whisper in an attempt to keep my voice down. He shook his head no. The moaning was still occurring, though it had changed, it sounded less beastly and empty. The tone had changed to something familiar, almost human in a way.
Suddenly, we heard a loud, shrill scream coming from upstairs. I about pissed myself and let out a scream of my own. Snake immediately covered my mouth with his large hand.
"Hello," He half said, half yelled. We couldn't hear a response for a minute, but they eventually called back to us.
"Hello? Who's there?"
That voice. I knew that voice. Even with the hoarseness, I recognized it.
"Cry?! Is that you," I yelled. Oh, please let it be him. Please, please, please, please.
"Scott? Is that you? It's me," Let me tell you, you could fell the excitement and joy in his voice
"Dude, how can you even walk right now," Cry said and I laughed. I had taken a little to get to him out of that attic but after a lot of work and cursing, we had managed it. He had apparently been living here for roughly 2 weeks and had been accidentally locked on the attic for 3 days. He hadn't wanted to try to break it in fear that if he did, the ceiling would cave in or it would attract unneeded attention from the living dead. He had been traveling in a group of 4, but he broke away after the fighting began to cause zombies to flock and kill one of then. Ever since then, he had been traveling on his own to try to find a safe place, one with only the living walking around eating everything they could catch.
"I haven't seen anyone alive in weeks before you two showed up. It's good to see people without rotting flesh," he joked. Cry, he always knew how to lighten a situation. "So, how long do you have left before you pop out this kid," he asked. I bit my lip and blushed.
"Kids, little girls to be exact. I'm exactly 2 and a half months from my due date," Cry's eyes widened.
"Wait so, there's two? Twin girls," I nodded. He placed his hands on my stomach and got down on his knees.
"Hey there, sweethearts. It's your uncle Cry. I know I heven't met you but I love you and you're both amazing and you're both going to be beautiful and holy crap, I can't wait to see you," he nuzzled the girls and I couldn't help it, I had to giggle at the cute reaction. I hears Snake clear his throat behind us.
"Look, I hate to interrupt but maybe we should eat and decide what we can do from here on out," he suggested. Cry nodded and got off his knees.
"Alright, I can just grab my pack and we can split what we have three ways," Cry said. We shook our heads. He looked confused, but suddenly thought of what we meny,"Oh no, guys, I can't just take your food like tha-," I covered his mouth chuckling. Again, confustion crossed his face.
"Just follow us, okay," he nodded his head,"and shut up. You're loud enough to wake up the dead!"
After picking out a few cans , we begin to eat and catch up a little.
"So, what have you guys been up to, ya know, besides hidding and baby-growing," Cry asked as he tore through his second can. I laughed.
"Well, we were looking for a place to stay, somewhere safe, for them," I motioned to my swollen belly. He stopped eating.
"You mean like Community 4?"
I knew of these special fenced-in towns that people had built to live in and keep the walking dead out. They felt that if they banded together, they stood a better chance than others who didn't. They believed in strengh in numbers and the idea of a god or savior that would protect them and help them in their time of need. To me, these people we a bunch of sitting ducks, just waiting to be eaten or killed or turned by the undead forces around them. We had tried these small cities out a few times, but they either wanted to... terminate the girls or refused us because of population or religious issues. We had never spent more than 24 hours in each town.
"Sorta, but those little makeshift town arn't very nice to us, if you catch my drift," I raised my eyebrows.
"Oh no, this one is definiatly not like any of the others! I've seen it, they're amazing. Open-minded, accepts practically everyone except the obvious, like drunks and the insane. I don't think I've ever seen another like it," He exclaimed. I couldn't believe this. An actual community that might let us in. It was almost too good to be true. Almost
"Keep talking," I said.
The way Cry described it, this place had everything but streets paved in gold. They were apparently located in Raleigh, North Carplina, Right in the heart of the Capitol. It wasn't a well known community and was only formed about a month ago. The population was well controlled and they were pretty well stocked. Almost all of residents were either healthy or only suffering a contution or lasuration from hunting. Best of all, they not only allow pregnancy and a homosexuals, but they let you have the child you're carrying to live and grow up in the community, as long as you followed the rules and put in yoyr fair share of work.
"It's really one of a kind in terms of others like it. They are the only community that is this open-minded," Cry finished. I set back against Snake, soaking it all in. I finally had it. After months of trying and hoping, It has finally happened. A chance, a chance for not just me or Snake, but for these girls, to live a life, a real childhood to remember, even if it was behind barbed wire. Something like this doesn't come along often, and like hell I'de let it slip through my fingers. I let out a deep breath, closing my eyes and running my hands throught my hair. I opened them slowly and looked my friend straight in the eye.
"Are you positive this place is all it's cracked up to be," I questioned. I saw him shske his head yes. Looking up, I met Snakke's eye. "Well? What do you think," I asked. A smile began to play on his lips.
"Let's do it," Snake stated. He turned to Cry, "Can you take us," He asked.
"Of coarse, what kind of uncle would I be if I didn't" Cry said smiling. Snake looked back to me with a grin plastered on his face.
"Well, looks like we're headed for Noth Carolina!"
